OPINION: When in doubt, go with defense: Go with Kansas

The Jayhawks have the best defense in the country, allowing opponents to shoot just 35.9 percent from the field.

Even if the shots aren't falling for freshman star guard Ben McLemore and Co., Kansas won't be doomed because coach Bill Self has them playing such solid defense.

Center Jeff Withey is a dominant shot-blocker, averaging 4.0 per game, and those kinds of plays can be game-changers, start fast breaks for easy buckets and alter shots.

Kansas is the No. 1 seed in the South, and teams like VCU, Florida and Georgetown must have nearly-perfect offensive outings to dethrone Kansas, which lost to Kentucky in the national championship game last year. Kentucky lost everyone, but Kansas didn't and added McLemore.

McLemore can't be rattled. He is a heartwarming story, having endured poverty throughout childhood in St. Louis. So often he went hungry, and his persistence, passion and commitment is palpable.

He'll be a lottery pick in the NBA draft, so you know he wants to make the most of this opportunity.

Kansas is the only No. 1 seed that will make the Final Four. There were about eight teams worthy of No. 1 seeds and No. 3 seed Michigan State, No. 2 seed Georgetown and No. 2 Miami all have the resumes to land in Atlanta, but Kansas will topple Michigan State in the final.

Tom Izzo is one of the best coaches in the country, and his team is battled-tested from a physical Big Ten Conference season. Michigan State beat Kansas early in the season, too. The Spartans will feast on home cooking as they play their first two games at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Talk about a homecourt advantage.

Gonzaga deserved the No. 1 seed and will play with a chip on its collective shoulder since critics don't believe it should be a No. 1 seed because it plays in the West Coast Conference. Gonzaga beat Davidson, Oklahoma and Clemson in non-conference games.

Don't blame Gonzaga for its conference schedule. Praise coach Mark Few, who always has the Bulldogs rolling, and 7-foot forward Kelly Olynyk (17.5 ppg), known for his long hair as much as anything.

Gonzaga is 31-2 and knows how to win. The Bulldogs have won 14 consecutive games and heading into the tournament on a hot streak is a very good thing. The Bulldogs haven't lost a game in two months.

It will run through the West Regional before meeting buzzsaw Ohio State, which is out for revenge after losing a heartbreaker to Kansas in the semifinals last year. Gonzaga probably can't match the physical Buckeyes.

Miami is making history and should knock off No. 1 seed Indiana. Indiana is in the tournament on the heels of its Big Ten Tournament loss to Wisconsin and perhaps a bit of disappointment that it wasn't the No. 1 overall seed (that distinction went to Louisville).

You won't find Pac-12 teams going far in the dance as the conference's seeds are the most perplexing in the tournament. Neither Cal, UCLA, Colorado, Arizona or Oregon will win more than one game. The Ducks, who won the Pac-12 Tournament title over UCLA, inexplicably got a No. 12 seed while UCLA (No. 6), Arizona (No. 6) and Colorado (No. 10) all got higher seeds than Oregon at No. 12. The Bears were a No. 12 seed, too.

Maybe it was those horrid-green uniforms the Ducks wore Saturday in the Pac-12 Final that had the NCAA selection committee seeing green.

Just don't put all your eggs in the Pac-12 basket.

Your best bet is go with Kansas and the old adage that defense wins championships.